Liberal Democrat party conference approves party’s position as ‘Stop Brexit’ party

15th September 2019

epa07733711 New leader of the Liberal Democratic Party Jo Swinson (L) delivers a speech during the Liberal Democratic Party leadership announcement in London, Britain, 22 July 2019. Swinson has become the first female Liberal Democrat leader after defeating Sir Ed Davey. EPA-EFE/ANDY RAIN

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The party holds just 18 seats in Britain’s 650-seat parliament but has cast itself as the only ‘Stop Brexit’ party, hoping to pick up votes from the 16 million who voted to remain in the EU in 2016 and win enough seats to form what would be an unprecedented Liberal Democrat government.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson, a Conservative, is promising to leave the EU on Oct. 31 with or without a Brexit deal. But the policy has divided his own party, costing him his majority in parliament and making an early general election likely.

The Liberal Democrats party conference on Sunday voted to formally adopt a policy to revoke the ‘Article 50’ notice filed in March 2017 which notified the EU of Britain’s intention to quit the bloc. This would effectively cancel Brexit.